The actress Shares Perspectives on Acting, Fandom, and Unexpected Lessons.

During a revealing interview, the acclaimed performer reflects on topics ranging from her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons gleaned from theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature for a Day

Your latest role is Queen of the Cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; supposing you had the opportunity to be a fish for a day, which one would you choose and why?

Straight away, that particular fish residing near a specific shoreline – because it’s a local landmark, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. It strikes me as remarkable that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely seek out and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Film Staple to Return To

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I love this picture. When I was childhood, it would air on television occasionally, and one time I recorded it. I found it was hilarious. It stars Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was also the favourite film of a friend of mine, and so we attended and just laughed and laughed. It is a great piece of humor and the entire cast in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not as effective. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, to be watched often.

The Best Lesson Gained Through a Fellow Actor

What’s the best lesson you took away from someone a colleague?

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – my husband now, but back then we were not together. We were playing opposite each other and during the premiere I stumbled – I jumped ahead a few lines in the script. I didn’t know of my error but I suddenly realised things were off. I remember glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. But I think the insight gained in that moment was, first, always trust the individuals you’re working with. When you lose your place, by looking and toward the actors sharing the stage with, you will find where you’re meant to be in some way. It’s such collaborative endeavor, acting on stage. And secondly, to maintain a lighthearted attitude regarding it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a really great way if you’re really present then. It may become an unexpected boon when things go absolutely awry.

Memorable Interactions with Fans

Can you describe your most touching interaction with a fan?

It’s not just one particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I am told numerous accounts about what Eowyn impacted them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and the extent to which that character meant to them and was some kind of help to them in those times.

What do you get asked about the most by Lord of the Rings fans?

The most specific inquiry concerns always about that infamous meal that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It has evolved into such a joke, the entire episode about the stew, and all fans wish to know what was in the pot, and its preparation method, and in your opinion she’s a better cook now, or do you think she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that situation. And I go into great detail describing the components that made up the stew – because I remember the efforts made; like they even adding pieces of colored thread to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. The crew employed extreme measures to make it look as unappetizing as possible.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Encounter

What was your most cringeworthy run-in with a famous person?

I attended a pilates class and another participant lying down exercising, and the teacher said to me, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made some joke inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and often when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know words. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I do know who you are!” I think her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to say anything.

The Source of a Moniker

Articles have confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet I’ve read stating otherwise – can you clarify this once and for all?

Yes – I was christened for a district in Sydney. My mother heard on the radio that they were opening a mall at that location, and she thought sounded like a pleasant choice.

Chaos on Set

What was the chaotic thing that’s ever happened on set?

While working in Brazil for the film Reaching for the Moon that was the most chaotic set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product emerged incredibly well. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is really different. In Australia, you receive a call sheet and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was rather open ended – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a novel way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the final moment, and sometimes they wouldn’t know where they were shooting the next day the methodology. And then you’d be in during a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s the producer popping open some champagne during filming, because he’s making a party.” The result was excellent, but wow, it’s a distinct style of film-making.

A Secret Skill

Do you have a secretly good at?

I naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I memorise words often, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe if I hadn’t pursued acting, I probably would have entered a field involving numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Best Guidance Ever Received

What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?

When I was in high school, someone addressed us when we were graduating and stated, “don’t be afraid to fail” … an idea I consider is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn so much more from setbacks than is gained from success. Success, one rarely understand exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn abundant.